By Your side
by Tia-Chan18
Summary: He didn't deserve her, but she thought differently. It was she who didn't deserve him.


I just keep jumping from fandom to fandom, so please excuse my writing style. This is my first Naruto fanfic, and I just love these two. I hope this does them justice. I'm sorry this is so short. I was planning on making it longer, but couldn't figure out how to actually write this idea. Please let me know if I did Hinata well. I'm not really good at writing shy girls.

(I don't own Naruto)

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><p>It had been a couple weeks since the fight with Pain was over. Naruto had finished him and the threat to the village was gone. While he was still fighting, a young girl had been transported to the hospital in critical condition. It had been a rough time, but Hinata Hyuuga had gotten through it fine with the help of Lady Tsunade and Sakura tending to her wounds. She was going to be released soon, and she couldn't wait to get back to training. Her train of thought had been cut off by a nurse that came in.<p>

"Oh good! It seems you're awake Hinata-chan!"

The young woman turned to look at the doctor in front of her, bowing her head in politeness.

"I hope you're feeling okay. You have a visitor and he seemed really anxious to see you!"

This caused the girl to look at her in confusion, before she noticed the young man standing at the door way. Her eyes widened, before she whispered his name,

"N-Naruto...-kun..."

He gave her his signature grin before standing beside her bed. "What's up Hinata-chan?"

After the nurse had left, she noticed his grin fade into a frown, causing her to worry. Of course he would fake being happy. After all, one of his dear friends was in the hospital because he couldn't save her.

"You don't have to pretend in front of me. I know you're upset."

Grabbing the fabric in front of her out of nervousness, Hinata kept her gaze on her blanket as she bit down on her lower lip. She willed the blush that formed on her cheeks to go away, but her body decided to betray her once again in front of her crush. She heard him sigh before he began pacing around the room.

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun! The nurses told me I'd be going soon. It was only because Sakura-chan was worried about my health that I'm still here."

She didn't think he'd come to visit her after the fight with Pain, but it seems she was wrong to think such a thought. She knew he felt guilty for the position she was currently in, but she reassured him multiple times that she was fine thanks to Sakura and she was going to be released from the hospital soon.

This didn't stop the young man in front of her from frowning. His hands were clenched into fists as he looked out the window, trying to control his frustration.

"Still... I shouldn't have let you get hurt Hinata-chan. I was right there... And yet..."

Sighing, he decided to sit down in the chair beside her bed, noticing her fidget each time he walked in the small room. He didn't know why this felt so hard. It was like she had an effect on him that not even Sakura had. If it had been anyone else, he wouldn't have felt this much guilt.

'_But this isn't just anyone else... This is Hinata-chan...'_

"N-Naruto...-kun."

Hearing her speak his name, albeit softly, he turned his gaze to her to see a small smile on her face.

"It's okay... Really. I told you I wasn't going to run away anymore. I knew what kind of danger I was putting myself in and I still chose to stay. I really did mean what I said before facing Pain..."

He could feel his eyes widen much like they had at the battlefield. At the time, he had put her feelings aside when he saw her laying there with blood dripping from her body. He snapped and almost allowed the demon fox to escape. He had almost killed her after all that damage she suffered by him. He was a monster unworthy of her.

Shaking his head, he lowered his gaze, not wanting to see her cheery expression directed at him. He didn't deserve it.

"I don't deserve you... Hinata-chan.."

Though he felt her hand touch his, he still chose to look at the ground, ashamed at the actions that lead up to this day. He was a monster, and there wasn't anything he could do about it.

"If anything... Naruto-kun... I don't deserve you.."

This made him whip his head up in shock and before he could speak, she beat him to it.

"I was always down on myself. I was never confident in my abilities. Sure, I was born in the Hyuuga clan, but even then, that's the only thing people associated me with. They didn't try to get to know me. I was stuck in isolation because everyone thought I was this amazing person. No one bothered to understand me. Then, you came along. Despite knowing I came from a royal family, you still treated me like everyone else. You encouraged me and gave me the strength to lift my head up high. It doesn't matter if you have the nine-tail fox sealed within you. I always admired you, Naruto-kun. And this admiration turned into love. Despite you being shunned, you still made a name for yourself. You still proved yourself to everyone despite being hated. That's something I was never able to do."

She looked at him and smiled, her cheeks rosy from blushing. "So please don't say you don't deserve me. Because I feel you've proven that you do deserve me. And I never once asked you to do anything. You were just yourself. That's all you ever needed to be, Naruto-kun."

Gripping her hand in his, he took a deep breath before gently pulling her into a hug. He ignored the gasp that escaped her lips and the heat rolling off her face. Instead, he focused on the feel of having her in his arms. He was mindful of her injuries and tried to not squeeze too hard, but he kept her as close as he could, and buried his face in the crook of her neck. He willed himself not to cry, not wanting to seem weak in front of Hinata. However, that thought flew through his head when he felt her hand on the back of his head, holding him in place.

He felt like he was finally accepted, by someone he really cared about.

"I promise, Hinata-chan, that I will always protect you. I won't let you get hurt anymore. I just have one question though.."

She hummed quietly, letting him know she was listening.

"I know I truly care about you, and I want to be able to prove it everyday..." He sighed, trying to collect his thoughts before speaking once again.

"Are you willing to let me show you?"

He could feel her smile against his cheek, but didn't move in fear of hearing a rejection.

"Of course I will... Naruto-kun. I told you I want to be by your side, and I meant every word."

He couldn't help but grin happily at her answer, choosing to just stay in her embrace. Even if someone had came in and caught them like this, he wouldn't care about what they thought.

All that mattered was that they were together.


End file.
